


Beauty

by FullmetalReborn



Series: Pulse [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: A different take on Percy and Nico's relationship, M/M, Past Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Percico - Freeform, pernico - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 04:38:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8273131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalReborn/pseuds/FullmetalReborn
Summary: He finds beauty in the comfort of death. Just like how Percy finds beauty in the land under the sea.





	

"Nah man. That's not how it works." His breath carried over the space between them. His body was warm despite the cool space around them. His eyes stared above them at the fish circling their bubble, at the sunlight filtering around them. It sent a sparkle in the area, lighting up pretty coral and an assortment of shells.

The bottom of the lake was beautiful.

"It's sort of beautiful." Percy explains, one hand gesturing to the space in front of them. "It's like, you can see just about everything. Hear just about everything. It's beautiful."

Nico looks around once more, taking in the swimming forms of the Nymphs and the new shells they throw around. He sees weaved items, pearls and an assortment of fishes. He sees the way the sun glitters in the water, clearly displaying the white sand.

"Yeah." He agrees, hands gently touching the sand underneath them. "It's beautiful."

It's beautiful in a way only a son of Poseidon can understand. He supposes that it's like the way he finds beauty in death. In that moment where people understand the certainty of death. That no matter what your differences are, death will always be an absolute. It's probably not beautiful like the shells and the sand and the fish but it's beautiful in the way that it's a concept. It's a comfort, one only a son of Hades will find beautiful.

"Dad has a beautiful Palace, too." Percy rests his sea colored eyes on him and Nico just breathes. Yeah, his eyes were beautiful too. "I'd like to take you one day."

Nico snorts, "Percy, that's a terrible idea."

"My dad's not that bad." But he drops the topic; they know the situation with their parents isn't great. He describes the Palace, reminding Nico of his father's throne room.

Instead of Pearls; they have skulls and bones; instead of marble they have obsidian. Beautiful, but different. An appreciation for life and death. When Percy finishes they stay silent and watch the Nymphs follow a camper above the water, turning and dancing. Nico lets his mind wander, fingers gently picking at the sand underneath them.

He finds a shell and holds it in his hands. It's a soft salmon color and it glitters in the small splotches of sunlight.

"This is my favorite place." Percy whispers, drawing Nico's eyes to him instead of the pretty shell. "I saved Annabeth from Sirens under water."

Nico chest tightens just a bit.

"My first kiss with her was in the water." His eyes are wistful, reminiscing on the relationship of his first love. Annabeth Chase was a brilliant woman. Nico only felt an ache at the reminder of the mark she left on Percy Jackson.

"It's beautiful." He muses again. "Because now you're here with me."

His heart does a flip, averting his gaze back to the pretty shell. Percy gives a quiet laugh. "Beautiful, right?"

Nico gazes back up, staring at Percy and for a moment he allows himself to lean on to the others shoulder. Percy moves his arm, wrapping Nico to his side. Percy's hand clencheas his other arm tightly. It was a comfort. He rested his head against his chest, hands holding onto the shell once more. "Beautiful."

It was true. There was beauty in Percy and it wasn't just from his sea green eyes and sun kissed skin. No, it was more than that. It was when Percy pressed kisses to his fingertips after a hard sparring match. It was when Percy helped kids up and corrected their stances. It was when he shoved himself into the face of danger, wanting to protect and sacrifice. It was in his smiles; it was in the way he would give him space when he needed it. It was the way Percy kissed his forehead when Nico froze up in a make out session. It was in the way his fingers kneaded his shoulders after a hard night. It was when he buried his face into Nico's shoulder after a bad dream, sobbing.

 It was in the way Percy loved life, how he loved everyone for what they could be, who they could be. It was in the way Percy Jackson could challenge a god, be an absolute little shit yet manage to live to see another day.

Percy muttered something, hand gently closing over his own to turn over the shell. He brings his hands up, gently kissing Nico's knuckles before tracing the edge of the pink shell. "

I think I want to be with you forever, Nico." Percy murmured, not looking at him. "I've talked to my mom and she's helping me afford a new place in New York. We could move in. You could have a home to stay in while Persephone is in the underworld."

Nico blinks, staring at the shell. "... You want me to move in with you?"

"Yeah. We could try out New Rome, too if you want. Imagine that," Percy smiles now, green eyes looking into Nico's. "We could have a family, without worrying about any new quests."

"Camp Half-blood is your home." He finds himself saying. This is where Percy made a home to belong in. This is where he met Annabeth and fell in love. This is the home he has protected twice.

Percy leans over and kisses his forehead. "Hmm, been thinking. You're my home. Wherever you are." Nico's breath caught. He stares at the sea green eyes before he's swept up into his arms. "I like you a little more than camp."

 "Just a little?" He manages, breathlessly. He allows Percy to pepper him with kisses. He closes his eyes, feeling kisses pressed to his eyelids. He kisses under his eyes, down his cheeks and one on his nose.

"Hmm." _Kiss._ "Okay." _Kiss._ "I." _Kiss_. "Percy Jackson." _kiss._ "Love you more." _kiss_. "Then camp."

He kisses his lips at last, careful and gentle as Nico relaxes in the feeling. Nico ends it, seeing sea green eyes flutter open.

"That's better."

They kiss a few more times. Nothing is rough or demanding. There aren't any wandering hands. There's only a steady embrace and a steady heartbeat. It makes Nico feel warm, despite the dropping temperature at the bottom of the lake. They lay against each other, Percy silent underneath him.

"Okay." He finally says, very softly. "Let's try it out."

 Percy squeezes him, smiling so brilliantly that Nico feels the skeleton butterflies rush around in his stomach. When they leave the bottom of the lake Percy makes a necklace out of the pretty pink shell Nico finds. He whispers silently to the shell, wrapping it around Nico's neck. It doesn't match Nico at all but that's fine. It's a contrast to him, the same way that Nico and Percy contrast each other.

"The bottom of the lake is special." Percy whispers as he fiddles with the back of the necklace. His breath is a whisper beside his ear.

"Why?" He snorts. "Cause you kissed Annabeth down there?"

Percy laughs at his dry humor. "No, you dork. It's special because it was the first time we have been down there. The first time we have kissed."

Lips were on his throat. Nico tilts his head to the side, a flurry of happiness springing in him.

"But my favorite place is right here with you." Percy whispers.

Nico wishes he could give more for Percy. He wishes he could lay himself down and offer himself up just like Annabeth had. He knows Annabeth had given herself to Percy. He knows Percy had enjoyed it and had once wanted the same with Nico. Nico wishes he could do it, wishes he could offer himself in the same ways Annabeth did. But then Percy will kiss him, smile knowingly and hold him, kissing away his fears in the gentle way Nico appreciates. Sometimes Percy doesn't say a single word, merely huff a laugh that seems to say, _‘Chin up. It's okay.’_

Percy offers himself whole heartedly and Nico just understands. Nico gives up pieces of himself, careful crumbs he's afraid of keeping. Percy takes them, keeping them and molding them together. He takes away his fears and his shame in wanting to be like Annabeth.

_'I love you because you aren't Annabeth.'_ He whispered once he had figured it out. ' _Give me some credit, man. I love you for you. For everything you do for me.'_

Maybe Nico can't see what Percy sees in him but that's fine. Percy finds beauty under the water and Nico finds it in the comfort of death. Percy will always see the world differently and Nico loves it.

"Love you." He mumbles as a response, smiling as Percy's fingers gently touch the seashell. It was a promise, he supposes. Percy takes his hand and Nico tightens his fingers against the others.

 It's beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> I just really wanted to try my hand at their relationship. I thought it was pretty weird for Nico to be like, okay with sex automatically when he has a bad reaction to touch. I find it sweet that Percy would understand and only want to make Nico feel as comfortable as possible. Everyone loves some good smut, I thought I would write a little something about a cautious Nico and a very understanding Percy Jackson.


End file.
